Military Units
Archers Archers are the most common and versatile ranged unit used through the world of Tarth. Archers tend to be very affordable due to minimal training and equipment costs. At range, they are very effective against light melee units however they quickly become liabilities when enemies close in. Heavy units are truly the bane of Archers. Marksmen Marksmen, sometimes also called Sharp Shooters, are elite bowmen that can devastate light melee units from a distance. Men capable of becoming Marksmen are more difficult to find, and thus are more costly. Marksmen have the same disadvantages as Archers, being quite susceptible to direct attack. Crossbowmen Crossbowmen are a specialty unit that few generals deploy due to their excessive cost. While quite effective against light melee units, Crossbowmen excel against Heavy Infantry. While most units struggle against heavy armor, few weapons have the piercing capabilities like the crossbow. At a distance, a unit of crossbowmen are a terrible sight to behold for a slow-moving band heavy infantrymen. Furthermore, crossbowmen are considerably better protected from direct assault even though they lose their attacking advantage. Musketeers Though a very effective and versatile unit, Musketeers have become increasingly difficult find since the collapse of Dwarven society. Useful against all traditional ground units and weak against none, Musketeers may one day become the replacement for all other unit types. Light Infantry The backbone of any army begins with Light Infantry. As the easiest true military unit to field, Light Infantry units are best used en masse. Furthermore, these lightly armored troops are at considerable disadvantage against ranged Archers and swiftly moving Cavalry. Heavy Infantry Better equipped and trained than their lighter counterparts, Heavy Infantry units provide more attack power with fewer weaknesses. Heavy Infantrymen are also much pricier, so they are used sparingly as situations demand. Pikemen Pikemen serve a very specific role on the battlefield, and as such have a great many weaknesses. Most units have significant advantages against the long and unwieldy pikes carried by these men, but these same weapons can absolutely devastate a charging cavalry if properly set. Rabble A Rabble is a unit of last resort. Comprised of farmers and random townsfolk, Rabbles are disorganized and barely capable of battle, yet sometimes a Lord or Lady has no other choice. Light Cavalry One of the greatest units on the battlefield, Light Cavalry units are extremely maneuverable and very effective against nearly all other opponents. For this reason, they are highly sought after and quite expensive. Heavy Cavalry Possibly the single most potent unit to take the battlefield, Heavy Cavalry units are an awesome sight. Extremely effective against nearly every other unit, an army comprised of this fine units needs little else. Of course, an army of Heavy Infantry would take the full wealth of a nation to raise. Healers Healers are a support unit capable of minimal damage on their own but are excellent for rallying true military units to greater effectiveness. Through inspiration or the quick mending of wounds, Healers are immensely useful but quite rare. Clerics Clerics, or sometimes known as War Priests in other cultures, are better equipped support units than Healers but still offer little in the way of direct fighting ability. Though given some combat training, Clerics are best used away from the front lines. Mages Using very destructive magic spells, Mages can quickly gain the advantage over of number of different troop types at range. This can quickly become a disadvantage once the enemy closes in as Mages are terrible at close-quarters combat. Battlemages Though better trained in hand-to-hand combat than ordinary Mages, Battlemages are still not very effective when directly engaging with melee units. At range, however, Battlemages are one of the most feared units on the field.